Steel burial-vault



A. J. MERKELBACH.

STEEL BURIAL VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTA 2. 1920.

Patented June 28, 1921.

PTENT QFFlCE.

ALBERT J'. MERKELBACH, OF MUSCATINE, IOWA.

STEEL BURIAL-VATJL'I'.

Application filed September 2, 1920.

useful Improvements in Steel Burial-Vaults,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a metallic grave vault of such construction as to hold the contained coffin in a position to permit of a free circulation of air beneath as well as at the sides and hold the bottom of the same out of contact with the soil and at the same time to provide a twopiece vault wherein a hermetically sealed joinin may be effected between the members under such conditions as to protect it from the access of moisture or other conditions tending to cause its disintegration and deterioration of the sealing or cementing material, and with these objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of the vault embodying the invention, the same being partly broken away at one end to show the joint between the members.

Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional view of the joint.

The vault comprises a base or bottom member 10 and a cap member 11, the former of which is provided with an elevated bench or seat 12 from the edges of which pendent flanges 13 terminate in inturned lips 14 forming feet for supporting contact with the bottom of the pit or grave openmg.

The cap member has its walls extended downwardly to overlap the flanges 13 of the base member and arranged at their lower edges adjacent to the lips or feetd l, handles or grips 15 being attached to the sides of the cap member and grips or handles 16 being attached to the lips 14 and extended laterally along the lower sides of the side walls of the cap member.

As a means of stiffening the base or bottom member and at the same time of providing a sealing groove, the metal between the edges of the bench or seat 12 and the flanges 13 is depressed to form a V-shaped channel 17 which is arranged below the plane of the seat 12 and is set inward from the plane of the flange 13, while to sustain Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 407,726.

or stiffen the walls of the cap member an off-set 18 is provided therein so that the body portion of the side is arranged sub stantially in the vertical plane of the center of the channel 17 while the lower edge of the side wall is disposed exterior to the Patented June 28, 1921.

flange 13, and carried by the laterally olfset lower edge of the wall of the cap member is an inwardly directed leaf -19 bent into cross sectional V-shaped form to provide a lip to fit in the cross sectional V- shaped member 17 of the base or bottom member.

Preferably the wall of the cap member is extended beyond its lower edge and doubled upon itself as indicated at 20, and at the upper edge of this doubled extension is formed a cross sectionally V-shaped rib member 19 to the end that when the cap member is fitted over the base member, cement having been previously placed in the chan-v nel 17 a joint between the members of the vault is effectively sealed to prevent the access of moisture or the escape of gases from the interior.

The construction described provides for an interlocking engagement of the members which not only facilitates the sealing of the joint but the protection thereof from the access of moisture or air from the exterior or the interior of the vault, the depending exterior reinforced lower edge of the wall of the cap member forming an effective guard which prevents the close approach of surrounding soil to the meeting faces of the inter-locked rib channel, between which the sealing material is located.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. A burial vault having base and cap members of which the former is provided with an intermediate elevated bench or seat and depending supporting edge flanges provided with inturned lips forming feet, and of which the latter is provided with side walls having laterally offset lower edges overlapping the flanges of the base member and extending approximately to the place of said lips or feet, said base and cap members being provided respectively with interior inter-locking channel and rib sealing elements.

2. A burial vault having base and cap members of which the former is provided with an elevated bench or seat and depending flanges terminating in supporting lips shaped sealing channel, and of which the latter is provided with side walls arranged 15 at their lower edges in overlapping relation with said supporting flanges and doubled upon themselves to form a'reinforced apron terminating in an inwardly directed leaf which is intermediately deflected to provide 20 an upwardly projecting rib for engagement with said sealing channel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALBERT J. MERKELBACH. 

